The West Kennet Avenue of Standing Stones at Avebury, Wiltshire, England (note road on left)
©
Moss
Following in the footsteps of the closure of the Stonehenge A344 road last year, a road which ran perilously close to Stonehenge’s famous Heelstone and the Monument itself (see our earlier feature The new Stonehenge Visitor Centre: First impressions… ) and which effectively cut the Stonehenge World Heritage Site in two, plans have been revised to do something similar at the Avebury Henge World Heritage Site, some forty miles from Stonehenge and also in Wiltshire.
The narrow, one mile-long B4003 follows the West Kennet Avenue of standing stones from the A4 at West Kennet to the Avebury Henge and Avebury Village. In places it actually cuts through the Avenue with standing stones on one side of the road and other stones on the other. At present the road is used mainly by farm vehicles and traffic wanting to take a shortcut to and from Avebury, rather than taking the slightly longer, two-and-a-half mile route via the Beckhampton Roundabout. According to a 2010 report from English Heritage, however, cars passing each other on the West Kennet Avenue road are causing erosion which “could spread into the upper layers of the monument” if it is allowed to continue. Heritage Trust members have frequently seen large 4×4 vehicles parked in the small layby at the bottom of the Avenue or on the grass verges that border it.
4×4 vehicles parked on the grass verge at the bottom of the Avenue
©
Moss
The West Kennet Avenue B4003 road closure proposal would be different to the Stonehenge A344 closure in so much as the road would remain in place for local landowners (the National Trust being one) and farmers, while excluding most other motorised traffic. Provided cyclist, pedestrian and disabled access continues to be allowed, however, the closure of the West Kennet Avenue road would seem like a good idea. It would exclude both commercial and rush-hour traffic and return the surrounding area to a quieter, safer and more pleasant state. The only downside we can see is that by closing the West Kennet Avenue B4003 road an increase in the amount of traffic on the A4 (which runs past Silbury on one side and the West Kennet Long Barrow on the other) would be generated. Given that the A4 is already a very busy road, and practically impossible for pedestrians to use, that increase would seem to make very little difference there but would improve the environment around the Avebury World Heritage Site immeasurably.
The Heritage Trust 
3 comments
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14/02/2015 at 8:43 am
roygoutte
‘Another road closure to enhance another World Heritage Site?’
‘Enhancement’ (as seen at Stonehenge recently) to me means one thing…they are building up to charging people to enter the WHS of Avebury and the closing down of one road denying the public access via it is the thin end of the wedge in my opinion.
I can visualise it now. All village residents and business vehicles will have free passes, everyone else pays (unless they have a visitors permit) …with huge fines for those that don’t use the main car park entrances and park up elsewhere. All obstacles WILL be overcome in this quest for money.
Again, in my opinion, the Avebury Complex is a million times more interesting than SH and a real day out at your leisure (at the moment). May it remain that way for many many years to come, but time is fast running out for it is a huge cash cow just waiting to be milked…and as sure as eggs are eggs, it will be, never fear!
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14/02/2015 at 9:37 am
Moss
Well I see a somewhat different view, and welcome the idea of this small lane being closed, it is not particularly important in the scheme of things, it could in fact become a ‘green’ lane Actually if you walked down it from the National Trust car park, with The Stone Avenue on your right, half way down is the farm track past the remaining stone of Falkner’s Stone Circle, then just a short walk through the fields brings you up to The Ridgeway and the tumuli on Overton Hill that follows the Ridge Way down past another series of tumuli (Seofon barrows) to the rather dangerous A4 road which you have to cross to get to the Sanctuary. A perfect walk taking in a lot of prehistory that surrounds the stone circle of Avebury.
Moss
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14/02/2015 at 4:19 pm
Geoff Bennett
This sounds like a good idea to me.
One concern, as ever, with historic sites is parking for visitors.
There needs to be many more schemes like this.
Many years ago, I initiated a closing order on Whitehawk Hill Road in Brighton, where it crossed the Whitehawk Camp Neolithic causewayed enclosure Scheduled Ancient Monument, whilst retaining a pedestrian and cycling right of way. Sadly that SAM had already been severely damaged by the construction of a road – Manor Hill across it in the 1930s and the construction of the Brighton Race Course stables and other buildings within its rings of ditches and banks.
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